Be not afraid of greatness
by zipadeea
Summary: "Love is blind, and lovers cannot see, The pretty follies that themselves commit." Maybe so, but sometimes, sometimes, all it takes to see is an early morning make-up exam, an irrational lack of sleep, and a pen that's out of ink. Reveal fic! Sequel now posted.
1. Chapter 1

_AN: These kids, this show. It's so cute I love it. And like, grandiose, high-stress reveals are great, but what if it just, like,_ happened _and it's the biggest surprise of their lives still at a stupidly mundane moment? Because I thought about it the other day and I kinda want it. So I wrote about it. Anyway, enjoy and read and review. Or don't. I do hope you enjoy, though._

000

"This might be the worst day of my life," Adrien whined. Marinette looked up at him, rolled her eyes at his uncharacteristic dramatics, and grunted in response, pulling her scarf up more tightly around her face, attempting to keep out the bitter wind as the two walked up the school's front steps.

At her grunt, Adrien looked down, and wordlessly handed off the paper coffee cup in his gloved hands. She took the cup with a nod, pulled down her scarf and quickly took a sip, the scalding black coffee burning the back of her throat, but clearing her head in the process.

"Thanks," she croaked, as she handed back the cup.

On any other day, Marinette would have died. Or fainted. At least gasped. Because OH MY GOD she swapped spit with ADRIEN AGRESTE and he was being so kind and considerate and they were stuck in a very unideal situation together but it was TOGETHER and what a bonding moment and it would have been the a very good day in, if not the best day of, her life.

Instead, it might just be the worst day of her life.

Because, unfortunately, it was a Saturday. Saturday December 22 to be precise. At six o'clock in the morning.

And the last akuma attack had ended at 4:45 AM.

So, with two hours of sleep, three energy drinks, and that sip of black coffee, Marinette was walking into school with Adrien to take her final exam for Literature class.

On Shakespeare. Worth 40% of their grade.

For the semester that had ended _yesterday._

Once they reached the top of the steps, Adrien leaned forward to open the door, waving his hand in an 'after you' gesture that on any other day would have had Marinette blushing like a bride.

Instead she was slightly annoyed.

She bit her tongue to keep the highly irrational scoff in and walked into the school's entrance to see a yawning Miss Bustier.

"Good morning Marinette, Adrien," Miss Bustier said with another yawn. "I'll be proctoring your exam in the library. The heat in the rest of the building's been turned off for Christmas break." Both nodded and meekly followed the patient and unnaturally accommodating teacher. Marinette shuddered just thinking about what would've happened if they'd missed Miss Medeleeve's final Physics exam.

Because Miss Bustier was honestly ridiculously accommodating.

On Monday, during the Literature exam hour, there'd been an akuma attack across town. Marinette later told the kind teacher she'd accidently overslept (a completely plausible explanation). Five minutes later, a highly apologetic Adrien rushed in, saying he'd gotten caught at his father's fashion show last night late into the night, and had also overslept.

Miss Bustier had smiled, calmed their nerves, asked them not to discuss the test with those students who'd already completed it, and please stay in during the lunch break Tuesday to take the exam.

On Tuesday, of course, there was an akuma attack during the lunch break.

Marinette had rushed into Miss Bustier's classroom during the last five minutes of lunch, to hear Adrien explaining to the teacher that his mother's brother from America was in town for Christmas, and Adrien had gone to make sure he was all right during the akuma attack. Which, _awwww_ , what a sweet boy.

But also, it meant Marinette had to step up her excuse game.

Marinette had cobbled some explanation together about her maman's anxiety after Nonna had been akumatized and how Maman wanted her to check in during akuma attacks, but Marinette's phone had been dead so she just ran home and….

Ms. Bustier had smiled kindly, placed one of her hands on each of theirs, and asked them to stay after school Thursday, the next time she had free to proctor their exam.

Obviously Hawkmoth had spies who didn't want Marinette to take her literature exam.

The Thursday akuma had been another student at school, Stress Ball, who couldn't take the pressures of exam week and was putting people to sleep whist simultaneously flooding all of Paris with multi-colored stress balls. All students had fled the building before school had ended, so Miss Bustier didn't need an excuse from Marinette.

"All right," Miss Bustier had said with a very, very deep breath Friday morning. "I don't have time to proctor an exam today, and, knowing the luck you two have, there will probably be an akuma attack anyway. So," she said, after another very deep breath through her clenched teeth. "I have to be on a flight to Salzburg at ten Saturday morning. The two of you will both be here at six o'clock sharp, and you will complete your exam then."

Which was fair. So fair. Miss Bustier was taking time out of her weekend, her life to let them take the exam worth 40% of their grade and (hopefully) pass her class and let this be over and done.

But then, an akuma attacked at 2:30 in the morning.

2:30 IN THE MORNING!

She was going to fucking kill Hawkmoth.

Because a Marinette after finals week, working on no sleep and who also dealt with four akumas in five days was a not a Marinette _anyone_ wanted to cross.

Turning back to her present suffering, Marinette filed into the cold and empty library behind Ms. Bustier, Adrien on her tail, and sat down at a table. Adrien took the seat next to her and Ms. Bustier handed them both thick packets of papers, the dreaded and elusive Literature exam.

"There are a few things I need to finish up in the classroom. I'll be back in about twenty minutes. I trust both of you not to cheat, or to leave the library unless it's an emergency."

"Yes, Ms. Bustier," they answered, and watched as their teacher left the room, door shutting ominously behind her, echoing throughout the empty shelves surrounding them.

Adrien shrugged out of his coat, revealing a black sweater proclaiming "Joyeux Noël" in a very loud neon green. The sight of such a Nino gift made Marinette smile. Gabriel Agreste definitely did not see what his son was wearing before he left the house that morning.

Marinette took off her coat as well, but elected to keep the black scarf wrapped tightly around her neck. It left her in just leggings and an oversized red sweater that was so comfortable she was ready to curl up in a ball and just sleep inside of it. Or maybe she was just that tired.

"Ugh," Adrien groaned, flipping his thumb through the numerous test pages.

"'Come what come may, time and the hour runs through the roughest day.'" Marinette quoted carelessly, the Macbeth flashcards she'd run through on her walk to school on her mind.

Adrien actually beamed at her, smile nearly blinding in the dark library.

Marinette felt herself blushing, and turned down the test finally. She worked for about ten minutes, flying through the multiple choice questions before coming to the first essay question:

 _23\. Discuss the role of mistaken identity in Twelfth Night. Who is mistaken for whom, and what do these mix-ups signify?_

Marinette took a moment to yawn, and wipe the tired out of her eyes with the heels of her hands before going to answer the question.

Except, now, her pen was dead.

Her fucking pen was dead.

She went through the motions, drawing curly-cues in the margins, blotting the tip of the pen with her tongue, even shaking it before going to check her bag for an extra pen that she definitely didn't put in there this morning.

This was the worst day ever.

"Do you have an extra pen I could use, Chaton?" Marinette asked with a sigh, trying her dead pen one last time before throwing it across the table in disgust.

"Yeah, give me a sec, Bug," he answered as he stifled a yawn and then reached into his bag and handed her the extra pen with a flourish.

"Anything for my lady," he said, winking tiredly. Marinette rolled her eyes but mumbled out a thanks and turned back to the test.

 _In Twelfth Night, mistaken identity is the main driver of the plot. Viola disguises herself as her twin brother—_

Marinette was very impressed by the quality of her newly borrowed pen. It was sleek and elegant, and the words arrived so smoothly and beautifully on the page Marinette nearly didn't recognize her own handwriting. And, Jesus, was that actual _gold_ on the cap?

Well, it was probably one of those stupid expensive pens Mr. Agreste always got Adrien for Christmases and birthdays. Adrien probably had twenty stupid expensive pens sitting around his room, might as well use them—

Wait.

Adrien's pen.

Adrien.

 _Adrien._

Whom she called chaton.

Chaton.

And he fucking _responded._

By calling her bug _._

And _my lady._

The scratching of both pens stopped at the same time, leaving the library in an eerie silence. Mouth slightly open, eyes wide, Marinette looked up slowly at the classmate to her left.

To the boy she'd been crushing so hard on she actually died just thinking about it.

To the boy she'd playfully turned down about 1,001 times since the first time he'd met her.

Her stare met Adrien's bulging green eyes, his mouth open similarly to hers.

"Oh my fucking God."

"This might be the best day of my life."

 _fin_


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: Thanks for the favs and nice reviews, guys. I had more ideas, so you get more to read! And Adrien is obviously an insecure cinnamon roll, and he must always be protected and nurtured, okay? Hope you like it!_

000

"Oh my God." Adrien heard Marinette repeat again. "Oh my God, oh my God, _omygodomygodohmyfuckinggod_!"

A similar litany was taking place inside his head, and Adrien did absolutely nothing to quash the brilliant smile spreading across his face. He'd finally found his lady.

His Marinette.

It was the best day ever.

And it made so much sense, honestly the fact that neither of them had ever noticed before was rather ridiculous. Marinette, who always mysteriously disappeared during akuma attacks with vague excuses for it afterward. Marinette, who had to make up the Literature exam with him because she'd been fighting that stupid akuma Santa's Helper Monday morning, getting candy canes stuck in her hair with _him_ , not still asleep in bed like she'd told Ms. Bustier.

Marinette, who wore a red sweater and black scarf, looking, if Adrien was completely honest, exactly as he had imaged his lady would look without the mask.

Marinette was practically vibrating in her seat at that point, still muttering vaguely to herself, his pen in her hands shaking rather violently. Adrien reached out a hand and grabbed her shoulder as if to steady her. She stilled immediately.

"Marinette, it's okay. It's _okay_. I know you didn't want to know, but we do now. It's nobody's fault, but we do, and it'll be okay. We'll be okay, my lady." Adrien didn't let go of her shoulder, his heart racing dangerously. Honestly, with the amount caffeine in his system, coupled with his absolute exhaustion and current excitement, Adrien was probably very close to having an actual heart attack.

Marinette looked up at him, bluebell eyes still wide. "I can't do this right now! I can't deal with this now, you can't be him, he can't be _you_!" she nearly wailed. "I can't handle this."

Adrien took the hand off her shoulder as though it burned him, and watched Marinette bury her face in her hands.

Oh God.

Marinette couldn't believe he was Chat.

He was ecstatic to find out Marinette (sweet, wonderful, brave, Marinette) was Ladybug.

And she was…. _disappointed_ that he was Chat.

Oh God.

She had every right to be disappointed, though. Adrien could be so awkward and cowardly, so naïve and sheltered. He'd only gathered the courage to stand up to his father finally go to lycee and try to be a normal person just _last year_. God, people were probably more likely to believe he was Draco Malfoy than ever even guess Père's perfect little doll was Chat Noir.

Adrien was unsurprised, but still very ashamed, when the tears filled his eyes and spilled down his cheeks. He was just _so tired_ , and going from unexpectedly and excessively elated to horribly and severely depressed in about two seconds caused a pretty immediate physical reaction.

He still really wished he hadn't started sniffling.

"Oh my god," Marinette whispered, "Oh my god, are you _crying_?" she asked in disbelief.

Adrien sniffed again, and looked away from her, trying to discreetly wipe his still filling eyes. "No!" he answered, but the sob that accompanied it rather contradicted the word.

Marinette, for the second time in about five minutes, sat there looking at him in open-mouthed shock. "No, no, Adrien, Chat, hey, no, don't cry, please don't cry. Why are you even crying, you can't cry b-because it's g-gonna make m-me cry, too, a-and," then Marinette also dissolved into tears, burying her face once again in her hands.

"You're disappointed because I'm Chat, a-and I'm just stupid _Adrien_ and my dad wants me to b-be perfect and I just wanna be cool and b-brave and impress you and-," Adrien moaned, but he was interrupted.

"You're such an idiot, Chat." Marinette proclaimed, launching herself at him, wrapping her arms around him and holding him tight where he sat. "Such an enormous idiot. I'm not disappointed Minou, I could never be disappointed in you." She sat on his knee to make the hug more comfortable, and Adrien automatically wrapped his arms around her.

"Really?"

Marinette looked up at him, a pretty blush on her cheeks. "Adrien, if you did not previously recognize the hugely massive crush I had on you before this, you really are an idiot. And now I find out you're also Chat Noir, my favorite person in the world? How on earth am I supposed to cope with this? _Especially during a make-up exam worth 40 percent of my grade at six-thirty in the morning?_

"Shit," Marinette continued, looking back at her test and then at her watch, completely missing the awe-struck look on Adrien's face. "Holy fucking shit, we only have half an hour left and I'm not even halfway done with this damn test. Oh my God, Ms. Bustier should be back soon, she's already late. Oh my God, I've forgotten everything, I'm going to fail this, how on earth am I supposed to concentrate on this test right now when I'm practically living through one of Shakespeare's plays?"

And Adrien's grin was back, because _wow_ Marinette really was Ladybug, and Ladybug was Marinette, and he was her favorite person in the world. How could anything else even matter now?

"I hope it's a comedy," Adrien said with a grin, some of Chat Noir's swagger seeping through.

Marinette smirked, "You're gonna have to wait on the wedding for a few years, pretty boy."

Adrien laughed so hard his eyes filled with tears once again and his ribs began to ache, watching Marinette turn bright red and slap a hand across her mouth after she realized what she'd said.

"See, Marinette," Adrien gasped, "you didn't forget everything you studied."

"Dear God, please let all of this be Red Bull induced hallucination."

000

Forty-five minutes later found Adrien and Marinette finally waving goodbye to Ms. Bustier and climbing down the steps of school.

"About time you idiots figured it out," Plagg complained, zipping out of Adrien's bag.

"For goodness's sake, Plagg, be nice," responded the darling little red creature who flew out of Marinette's bag. Ladybug's kwami.

"Tikki, you knew!" Marinette gasped, as Adrien glared at Plagg.

"Seriously, Plagg?"

"Hey, kid, don't look at us. We just give you the powers. The rest is all up to you." Adrien rolled his eyes, and watched as Tikki grabbed Plagg's hand and pulled them both into Marinette's bag without another word.

"Rude." Adrien said, and Marinette giggled, before tripping on the steps and beginning to fall down the remaining stairs. Adrien grabbed her hand quickly to keep her upright.

And then just didn't let it go.

"Do you want to come over for breakfast?" Marinette asked a few minutes later, as they reached the street where their paths home diverged. "Papa promised to have a big breakfast waiting when I got home, and according to Alya I have the most comfortable couch in France, if you want to nap after. I feel like we probably need to talk like normal humans about this sometime."

Adrien smiled at her tiredly. "That sounds wonderful. But, do you think we can, I mean, just for a minute-," Adrien asked, nodding his head to the nearby park bench.

"Oh God, yes, I'm so tired." So Marinette and Adrien sat down on the bench, Adrien releasing her hand only to wrap his arm around her shoulders on the bench. Marinette leaned into it, her hair tickling Adrien's neck as she sighed contentedly.

Marinette grabbed Adrien's remaining right hand, and slipped his glove off to play with his ring. His miraculous.

And as Adrien looked around at all the Christmas decorations and the snow lightly beginning to fall and the earrings on Marinette's ears, he started chuckling to himself.

"What's so funny?"

"Do you realize what happened today? What it is?" Adrien asked earnestly.

"Umm, it pretty much seems like this whole week has been a clusterfuck, honestly."

Adrien laughed even harder. "You sure do curse a lot when you're tired."

Marinette grinned. "I curse a lot always. It usually just stays inside my head."

"But, don't you get it? Us, finding each other. Now? It's a Christmas Miracle!"

Marinette snorted before smiling widely and shaking her head. "Jesus Christ, Minou."

"Hey now, Marinette, it's his birthday. Be nice."

"Adrien, you're ridiculous."

 _And you're miraculous,_ Adrien desperately wanted to say. But he smiled instead and quietly accepted his own wonderful miracle.

000

Caline Bustier chuckled as she wrote in full marks and a smiley face on the top of both Adrien and Marinette's tests before stuffing the packets in her carry-on and returning her tray table to the upright position.

She'd considered simply waiving the test for both of them after they missed it the first time; those children were certainly overworked enough as it was. But, she mused, if that episode in the library was how they reacted to learning _each other's_ secret identities, Caline definitely didn't think either of them were prepared to discover their teacher knew they were Ladybug and Chat Noir.

000

 _A/N: Hehehehehe. Did you see that one coming? Update: If you really like the "Ms. Bustier knows" headcannon, check out my new story_ Yesterday was plain awful _. It's kind of a sequel to this. Fair warning though, the new story is pretty angsty and sad. But with a happy ending, I promise!_

 _Also, I really don't know where all this Christmas spirit in May is coming from. At first it just made sense for the story, but now I'm like nostalgic for Christmas lol. Sorry if I did the same to you._


End file.
